Letter from a Board Member

Thank You

By: Cara Baskin

Our end of season banquet has me reflecting on another year of our amazing UVRC community and all the people who keep this club running. It was great to see many of you at the Enfield Community Center in early November, relaxing and enjoying our dinner and cookie supply (shoutout to Gusanoz and Katie's Cookies yum!!). Thank you to teammate Lori for helping us get the venue and Leb Rec for the photo booth! If you weren't able to join us, I'd like to take a moment to reshare our many thank yous.

Thank you to our:

  • Couch to 5k Coach Keri & all our volunteer coaches for warmly welcoming new runners, encouraging everyone to train and finish their 5k at the Hanover Turkey Trot
  • Drew for leading Saturday runs, Scott for subbing in, & Beth for all her incredible baking
  • Annie and Nicole for editing and polishing our monthly newsletter
  • Social committee for making events like the summer picnic possible
  • UVRC board members for ordering swag and prizes, coordinating volunteer and pacing opportunities, and always dreaming of how to be more inclusive and fun
  • All of YOU for volunteering, racing for the club, writing for the newsletter, cheering each other, continuing to show up, and just being the kindest the UV has to offer

Running clubs aren’t inherently synonymous with community, but because of the small efforts we make each and every week to show up for each other, UVRC has the special sauce to be that community. A heartfelt thank you. See you out running!

General Announcements

December 2024 Announcements

By: Cara Baskin

2025 UVRC Membership Renewal Now Open:

It's that time of year again! We're gearing up for 2025 and registration for the club is now open! You can register HERE on the Lebanon Recreation, Arts and Parks website. You'll see a tab for UVRC & Running, from there you can choose 2025 UVRC Membership (either individual or family rate). You'll be prompted to log in and might need to choose those same options again.

If you are feeling generous, consider donating to UVRC to help ensure we can keep all the amazing parts of our club running. There is a Donations tab on the sign-up page, which allows donations in $5 increments based on the number of times you click when you are logged in. This is a zero pressure situation. 

As a reminder, yearly membership dues get you access to:

  • Weekly group runs and weekly workouts
  • 15% discount on running equipment/related goods (i.e. energy products) at Omer and Bob’s 
  • 10% discount on running gear/related goods at Stateline Sports
  • This great Monthly Newsletter 
  • Racing team
  • Automatically scored in the Upper Valley Running Series
  • Access to UVRC Running apparel and other swag
  • UVRC social events (Runner's Night Out, summer picnic, banquet, Jingle Bell Run!)

In the beginning of the new year, we’ll be updating our email lists to reflect 2025 membership, so be sure to renew now to keep receiving workouts, group run emails, UVRS updates, and all the good stuff.

THANK YOU for keeping UVRC running! We are so grateful for this community. 

Social Calendar:

Our annual Jingle Bell Run will be on Tuesday December 10th! We’ll meet at Ramunto’s at our usual TNT time - 5:30 - but instead of a workout, we’ll run a few festive, easy miles around Hanover together and return for pizza, desserts, and a raffle! Come with lights! A holiday outfit! A baked good! A raffle item! Or just your holiday cheer :) 

Tuesday Night Track: We’ve officially moved to our winter location at Occom! We meet at the pin here three Tuesdays a month at 5:30. On the second Tuesday of the month (except for December for the Jingle Bell Run), we will continue our tradition of dripping sweat on Tuck Drive. On those days, we meet at the bottom of the hill, also at 5:30. There is parking available at both locations. Plan to run at these locations until the spring!

With daylight savings behind us, this is a crucial time of year to stay visible running. PLEASE run with a headlamp (at a minimum) and wear a reflective vest or other reflective clothing if you have them. Even if you can see cars coming, that doesn’t mean they can see you! A few quick notes about TNT if you haven’t come:

  • The Coach thinks of a workout that is challenging to help you push yourself
  • It is a workout meaning it's a time to work on your speed and endurance. That being said, in these darker, colder, snowier months, it can be hard to go fast. Come ready to work on your “race pace effort” and worry less about “race pace”. The fact that you’re willing to show up and run means you’re already putting in the work. There’s no need to be a “racer” to work hard. 
  • YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO THE WORKOUT AS PRESCRIBED! It is a recommendation and a good alignment point for you and your fellow runners. You can totally choose to do more or less or modify as needed. You can also come at 5:30 and run your normal run pace amongst your clubmates. 
  • Show up and run even if you don’t think you can or want to do the workout! I promise you it’s easier to work hard in a group of motivated peers than to do the workout on your own
  • It’s for everyone. All paces.  

Runner’s Nights Out: Every Second Tuesday of the month we head over to Hanover Ramuntos for free pizza on the club! Come hang out with your pals after Tuesday Night Track, and eat FREE PIZZA!

  • December 10th - Jingle Bell Run
  • January 14th
  • February 11th

Saturday Morning Runs: Saturday morning runs will continue to start at 9AM until the Spring. We meet in front of Omer and Bobs for a chiller social run. People break out into groups based on pace and route and head off. Afterwards we meet on the Leb Green for baked goods or head over to Lucky’s Coffee for some breakfast!

Volunteer Opportunities

There is one month left to volunteer or send in your volunteer hours from 2024! See the March Newsletter for full details on our 2024 UVRC VOLUNTEER CHALLENGE!

Race Report

Upper Valley Running Series 2024 Conclusion

By: Geoff Dunbar

The last race for the 2024 Upper Valley Running Series (UVRS) was November 24th, the Hanover Turkey Trot! With a great turnout from the UVRC, my understanding is that the race had their highest participation ever. Great job to all UVRC runners, and everyone who participated in the UVRS through the whole season.

You can see the final results of the 2024 UVRS here:

http://bit.ly/uvrs2024

(Scroll down to "Series Results")

Congratulations to everyone, especially our 45 Series Finishers. Prizes are forthcoming; look for details in email.

So, what is this UVRS that you’re hearing so much about? It’s our club’s series of local road races. Full information: http://bit.ly/uvrs2024

Planning for the 2025 UVRS will begin soon. Let me know if you are interested in helping out. Look for a series announcement, probably in January 2025.

A strong showing of UVRC Runners at the Hanover Turkey Trot, part of the UVRS

General Submission

Thoughts on Recovery As Taught by Steve Magness

By: Dan Collison

Steve Magness is an experienced running coach and athlete. Here are notes based on his YouTube video, “The Science of Recovery for Workouts" linked at the end.

According to Steve, there are four things, A through D, to recover from. A and B are muscular, while C and D are endocrinologic, neurologic, metabolic, etc.

(A) Muscle soreness

  - Mm. are tender to touch. Muscular in nature; roughly from from too much or unexpected intensity.

Rx:

(1) adequate nutrition and hydration: restore glycogen & protein at optimal times, e.g. post WO (glycogen), throughout day (prot.) and just before bed (prot.);

(2) sleep (naps & overnight);

(3) foam rolling +/- massage, gently & carefully;

(4) brief isometric holds;

(5) pool work, using non-damaging movement, e.g., gentle aqua-jogging

—   

(B) Flatness/ lack of pop

This also is muscular in nature; it’s roughly from a lack of delivering varying levels of muscular tension during training.

It’s usually from too much volume, or from monotony of training. I note that monotony literally means “[merely] one level of tone,” i.e., just one level of tension.

Rx:

(1) adjust volume, e.g., less, or vary the length of easy running session;

(2) mainly, give the mm. more varied tone/ tension/ reactiveness. E.g., add some strides, plyo, fast feet, etc., but with NO added fatigue. You are reminding the mm. to be reactive, reminding them they can “pop.”

(C) Stress

The stress can be from any source. While training by definition is stressing the body into a catabolic state in order to cause it to adapt and build back better, prolonged elevation of cortisol levels keeps the body in a catabolic state and prevents anabolism.

Rx:

Let the body stand down. Give the body autonomic and cortisol resets. E.g.:

(1) appropriate rest, including sleep and naps (long and short);

(2) exposure to nature, socializing, easy joyful movement, music, hobbies, etc..

(3) Avoiding things that tend to prolong elevated cortisol levels, e.g., social media, news, life stressors (if you can)

(4) Avoiding too much total rest or not moving at all

__

(D) Lethargy

This is the body shutting down due to depletion, i.e., when the training is unsustainable due to insufficiency of resources.

Rx:

(1) Always consider whether in a medically depleted state(s), e.g., insufficiency of calories, protein, iron, testosterone, Vit D, Vit B, etc.; correct any of those

(2) adjust volume downward and in less fatiguing forms (split into smaller sessions (consider changing modality e.g. bike or arc trainer))

(3) Keep moving and getting small doses of pop as in (B) above, if possible

-

Steve didn’t say this, but I’ll add: (i) never lose the last 2-5 lbs (don’t be too lean); (ii) always have an off-season in order to give the body a chance to restore depletions.

General Submission

Couch to 5k Fall 2024 Recap

By: Erin Wetherell

We did it! Another season of Couch to 5k has come and gone. This fall our 5k race was the Hanover Parks & Recreation annual Turkey Trot! About 30 people completed the race through the program. One of those runners included the illustrious Sally Scanlon who celebrated her 80th birthday a few days after the race! 

Somehow the weather gods were on our side the whole season. What’s always amazing is how the change of season can be observed through the running apparel. In late August/early September, it’s shorts and t-shirts and standing in the shade waiting for everyone to arrive. By the end, it’s layers and hats and mittens and standing in the sun trying to stay warm before journeying out. This particular season there were even some practices in the dark and the apparel included glowing, neon accessories.

Thank you to our fearless leader, Keri Niles, for her support, encouragement, incredible organizational skills, and steadfast commitment to helping us all be healthy and active. Thank you to the volunteer coaches Jackie, Matt, Lisa, Anne, Shelby, and Elisa for encouraging us and rounding each subgroup up during practices. Thank you Jen Fullerton for hosting our pre-race potluck extravaganza. Extra big thank you to Lebanon Arts, Recreation & Parks for supporting this program! 

We love newcomers! At each practice, we divide up into four groups: walkers, walk/runners, run/walkers, and runners. Each group has a pre-set amount of time and/or intervals, and participants can move between groups if they so choose. About halfway through the program we add bodyweight exercises (planks, squats, lunges etc) to help build our strength. Post-practice, there’s the Farmers Market on Thursdays and Lucky’s on Saturdays. 

See you in the spring! 

Race Report

Hanover Turkey Trot 2024

By: Leah Nicholson

Name of the Race/Running Event:

Hanover Turkey Trot

Race/Event Distance:

10k

Race/Event Date:

11/24/24

Describe the Race:

My family and I relocated to Lebanon from North Carolina 4 years ago, and the Upper Valley is starting to feel like home when it's mostly familiar faces at the local race event. I enjoyed the community atmosphere.

How did you prepare for the race/event?

TNT workouts! And I've run many miles around Hanover, so I am well acquainted with the course and the hills.

Any notable moments?

There were some announcements before the start of the race and then the race starter blew the horn rather unexpectedly. There was no "ready, set, go." Only "Go!" No one on the 10k start line was quite ready, but we were all laughing at the abrupt start as we took off. 

And fellow UVRCer Sean was very festive with complete turkey attire including a turkey hat!

What do you wish you had known about this race/event before starting?

That the hills aren't that bad, and a friendly reminder that there is a downhill for every uphill!

Our Sponsors

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UVRC, c/o Lebanon Recreation & Parks

51 North Park St

Lebanon NH 03766